Congenital hyperinsulinism: help from omega-3s

Fish oil has beneficial effects in children with congenital hyperinsulinism, a childhood disorder characterized by excessive insulin secretion. Supplements containing Omega 3, in combination with standard medical treatment, appear to improve the glucose profile and reduce the glycemic variability that characterizes the condition.

This is the finding of a study conducted by researchers at the University of Manchester (UK) and published in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology.

Congenital hyperinsulinism: a genetic disease

Congenital hyperinsulinism is a rare disease and the most common cause of hypoglycemia in the first year of life. It affects about one in 50,000 children in England and one in 2,500 in Finland and Saudi Arabia. The condition is characterized by altered insulin release from pancreatic β-cells that become overactive, causing reduction and continuous fluctuations in blood glucose levels. This condition can interfere with brain development and cause disability, brain damage, and seizures. Purified fish oil containing the polyunsaturated fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) has been successfully used in the prevention of cardiac arrhythmias after acute myocardial injury. Since pancreatic cells are electrically active, just like those in the heart, researchers hypothesized that Omega-3s could also act on them by slowing the release of insulin.

Fish oil reduces glycemic swings

Thirteen children aged one to 11 years, with hypersinsulinism and satisfactory glycemic stability, participated in the trial. The children received 3 ml of fish oil containing 459 mg EPA and 310 mg DHA daily for 3 weeks. A continuous subcutaneous glucose monitoring system reported blood glucose values at continuous intervals. The researchers observed that although the treatment did not significantly affect the blood glucose level, it was significantly more stable, canceling out the fluctuations typical of the disease.

The action of EPA and DHA

According to the researchers, Omega-3s would be able to reduce the electrical activity of pancreatic cells. EPA and DHA could block specific channels for Sodium and Potassium, reducing insulin release. That with Omega-3 may be considered an additional therapeutic option to strengthen glycemic control in patients treated with conventional therapies. In any case, further and more comprehensive studies are needed to fully investigate the value of treatment with EPA and DHA as an adjunct to therapy for congenital hyperinsulinism.

Source: Mars Skae, Hima Bindu Avatapalle, Indraneel Banerjee, Lindsey Rigby, Andy Vail, Peter Foster, Christiana Charalambous, Louise Bowden, Raja Padidela, Leena Patel, Sarah Ehtisham, Karen E. Cosgrove, Mark J. Dunne and Peter E. Clayton^."Reduced glycemic variability in diazoxide-responsive children with congenital hyperinsulinism using supplemental omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids; a pilot trial with MaxEPA^" Front. Endocrinol., March 12, 2014 | doi: 10.3389/fendo.2014.00031